Iron Flame: DISCOVER THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON THAT EVERYONE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT (Empyrean The) (International Edition)

It has been almost two weeks since I finished and my gosh I still can't stop thinking about this book. I have many thoughts so I'm going to try and narrow it down to the most important things but I feel like this is still going to be all over the place. The pacing of this story was immaculate! There was not a moment where I was bored and waiting for the story to pick up or there were any scenes that didn't pertain to the overall plot. Everything was happening so fast throughout the story and yet it still felt like it was showing the information that was needed to keep the story rolling. I was unable to put this book down, while I was at work I had to force myself to stop reading to answer calls when they came in and I hardly ever have this issue. I went on a trip with some friends and I was so excited to have a few hours of reading time on the plane and then my silly little self was in too much of a hurry to get out of the car at the airport that I left my book in the car *cue the beginning of a mental breakdown in the TSA line* I kid you not I was racing through the airport to find a store that had a copy because there was no way I was going to be able to wait 3 days before picking it back up. It has been so long since I have felt that compelled by a book to go out of my way and buy a second copy and paying double what I paid for my preorder. So much happens and every chapter I was going "what the heck?!" So many twists and turns that I did not see coming, some came no where close to crossing my mind of being a possibility. There was so much mental screaming going on I thought my head would explode. I'm normally a very quite reader, I make faces while reading things but very rarely do I make any audible noises and let me tell you this book got me. I was laughing out loud, gasping, and voicing my thoughts in the moment. At one point I apologized to my coworker at the beginning of her shift because I was going to be annoying. I do have one issue with this installment and it is Violet being really annoying about her relationship/ not relationship with Xaden. She was constantly going back and forth and I'm just like.... girl please get it together. Like I get it but also there are more important things that need attention other than your relationship crisis. I'm hoping with this ending of this book that that issue has been solved because there is nothing else Xaden can do to prove to Violet that he is hers and trusts her completely. I love the Sorrengail siblings, their relationship reminded me a lot of my sibling and I... you know minus the one of use pretending to be dead for 6 years. Also Mira decking Brennen in the nose upon first seeing him killed me cause that is 100% something I would do in that situation lmao. The theories I have seen since finishing have been wild man, like I cannot wait to see what ends up being true and how it all connects. In the meantime I will be screaming and crying over this ending and then foaming at the mouth for book 3.

I am so in awe of both "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" that I thought I would sit here staring at a blank screen for a long time while trying to find words to express my respect for Rebecca Yarros, author of both books. I just spent 3 days reading them and the only reason it took so long is that one still has to bath, eat, water plants, feed pets and sleep though I did not do much of the latter. What writers call voice in both books is so very perfect that I immediately want to reread both books! The voice is fresh and up-to-date and modern even for the dragons yet fits perfectly into whatever period of time this fantasy took place but clearly when there were dragons! Before proceeding, however, I need to hyperventilate briefly. First of all, it is totally immature and so unnecessary for anyone to post a critical plot point in a review especially on purpose and without first posting a spoiler alert. This happens not only with these books but others as well. Doing so is just another, although minor, example of how Homo sapiens have free will which they unfortunately can and often do waste on trivialities. So, then, here is how I deal with the review situation. I do not read them until after I read the book, then I read them to see how others felt about the book. Since one needs to know what the book is about before purchase, then reading the descriptive paragraphs at the listing along with reading the free chapters Amazon thankfully offers at the listing itself will provide that. Thanks Amazon. Reading those chapters and the description plus checking the star/purchase numbers are good steps to take to avoid learning too much in a review prior to reading the book. The second rant has to do with plot. Let me assure everyone there are NO NEW PLOTS. People have been murdering people since the beginning of time. It is how the author takes a plot(s) and makes it her/his own that matters to the reader. It is doubtful anyone knows how many dragon/people/rider fantasy books are out there so in the end it is a personal opinion as to which book(s) one chooses to like. Having so many to choose from means some plot points will seem similar. For instance how many ways are there to shove a dagger into someone's ribs, a plot point in a massive number of books? This author knew how to handle the plot she chose and then developed with aplomb. Both books kept my attention fully--page after page after page. I so love both books. What is so outstanding about both is that we learn most everything we need to know about each well developed character, not by telling, but by showing through their actions and their sharp and sometimes witty dialogue. It is beyond skillful at how on point the conversations are not only between the humans but the humans and their dragons especially Tairn and Violet and with Andarna--such a cutie and definitely my favorite dragon. The growing relationship between Violet and Xaden is razor sharp and on point. Violet gets wonky with her "having to know all the truth up front demands" regardless of how Xaden has put forth so much effort to show her he cares. Everyone has secrets but a book needs tension to advance so whoa and hold on the tension builds and builds between those two. Xaden is my favorite character out of many favorites. Their arguments are worth "eavesdropping" on and their love scenes are well done (Chapter 48 is mentioned by some reviewers). In this book Violet, in spite of her fragile bones and smaller size but because of her iron will and cleverness, and all those who made it through First Year at the Basgiath War College (covered in Fourth Wing") are now Second Years. Third years like my favorite character, Xaden, have graduated out and been assigned to outposts outside Basgiath. Thus begins an every other week trip for Violet and Xaden, him with her one weekend, her with him the next weekend. This is so their mated dragons can have time together each weekend. It is also in this book that Basgiath and all the outposts are put in perspective regarding the coming battle. The 'revolution' becomes a much larger focal point and Violet learns about Xaden's connection to the estate in Aretia. One can already see by this point how hard it is to give this book the 10 star, 100% review it deserves! Just read it and see what I mean. It is one well-done, well written heck of a book and do not forget "Fourth Wing first!! This book covers in more detail wards, the reason for them and the ins and outs of setting them up and what happens when they do not work (descriptive details I liked BTW). Details regarding the approaching battle then the battle itself are incredible. I am skimming plot points here since others have covered them very well but there is a lot of stuff left hanging at the end of this book and the end itself will floor you. It is like learning to fly on your own and suddenly losing that ability and plopping onto the ground and then fighting to just take a breath. It is shocking, promise. When an author has done their job, the reader will fantasize about what may happen next but this book leaves so much stuff hanging that there has to be another book. My favorite character deserves a better ending--the last two chapters still has me plopped on the ground breathless. So here's a partial list of the left-hanging questions. What happens between Violet and Xaden after the battle's aftermath? What happens to Aretia? Will Andarna's newly acquired fire play a role in the future especially in helping to set up wards? What happens to Basgiath after the war? What happens about the new dragon hatchlings? Will Cat's crew of riders play a future role? And, BTW, how did Jack get the way he turned out? So very many unanswered questions in addition to many, many not covered here. So, then, Rebecca Yarros, listen up: We readers have to have another book--please, please and thank you!!

11/13 FULL REVIEW: I don't even know where to begin. That ending has left me reeling. And I thought I knew what was coming because some *lovely* person on Goodreads thought to retaliate against the author by dropping a major spoiler with no warning to people like me, who were aimlessly scrolling, so for me to still be shocked and surprised is saying something. And just word to the wise: Be careful out there, folks! There are spoilers everywhere. 😒 Anywhoo...that's my rant. Now back to my review! Look, there's no surprise Fourth Wing and Rebecca Yarros has taking the book world by storm these past few months and I am LOVING it, okay? This love/ obsession/ hype is giving me all the nostaglia and throwing me back to my Harry Potter days twenty-six (🤯‼️) years ago. With me trying to get my hands on the physical books, the fandom going crazy over the series, the midnight release parties, and all the conversations spurred between readers and friends, it has been amazing to watch and to be apart of, and I am in love with the Fourth Wing Era we are in right now. There was something ✨️magical✨️ about my reading experience with Fourth Wing earlier this year. It was a combination of right book at the right time and it had me hooked. I was excited to get my hands on the sequel, but went into the book nervous it wouldn't hold a candle to the first one and I would be left disappointed because of my high expectations. Sadly, this book didn't give me that all consuming, unputdownable feeling I had with FW for the first 25% of the book and that is where my 4 star rating comes into play. I was easily able to read it, because I just think Yarros has this easy, flowing type of writing that even though not alot might be happening on the pages, I am still able to continue on without many delays in my reading time and I was reading this section of the book like I do a normal book. It just wasn't making me abandon all of my responsibilities and make it a top priority to read like FW did, if that makes sense. I think we could have shortened the first 200 pages to make the pacing of the book better overall. However, let me tell you! Once you get about a fourth of the way through, we get that spark and the twists start dropping and then I became hooked til the final page. And whew, that ending! I was on an emotional rollercoaster for the last 50 pages or so. I'm so paranoid about spoilers with this series, especially after my horrible experience,so I don't even want to say anything else about how I feel or what I am expecting from this series as we continue on this journey for fear of spoiling anything. Let's just say there are lots of theories and it has been fun being able to safely navigate through Instagram, Goodreads, and TikTok without fear of the book being ruined now, and I'd recommend if you want to read book 2, you better do it asap before something gets spoiled for you! P.S. Still loving the dragons. They are seriously one of the best parts of these books and world. I love their sass, their snark, and just overall, what they bring to the table. 🐉 I love Ridoc's sarcasm and it helped bring levity to the book in general. I really enjoy the side characters in this series and you get really attached to everyone making it enjoyable, but also nerve-racking. 😅 I can't wait for news of book three's release and I've seen articles stating she would let us know 2 weeks after Iron Flames release date, so one more week hopefully and we will know how long we will have to wait for it. Here's hoping it'll only be another 6 months or so and we can have book 3 in our hands by spring. 🤞 I know I'll be pre-ordering multiples this time around and not from just one site, because I don't want the stress of what I went through waiting on Iron Flame to arrive on my doorstep. 🤣 ****************** 11/12 : 🤯🤯🤯 I need some time to gather my thoughts. I did NOT see that coming.

📖 Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros ★★★★★ In the hollow aftermath of turning the final page, I sit with the beautiful wreckage of what Rebecca Yarros has done to my soul. Iron Flame doesn't merely continue a story—it carves itself into your bones, leaving echoes that reverberate long after you've set the book down. The evolution of Violet Sorrengail haunts me still. No longer just surviving, she now chooses her path with a fierce intentionality that transforms her fragility into something formidable. Her journey isn't just about physical strength but emotional fortitude—the kind that blooms in darkness, that knows pain intimately and chooses to stand anyway. Through her eyes, we witness the cost of becoming, and it is gloriously, devastatingly human. And Xaden. Oh, Xaden. His complexity deepens like a shadow at dusk, revealing layers that both terrify and captivate. When he says, "I'm not sweet or soft or kind, and you fell anyway. This is what you get, Violet—me. The good, the bad, the unforgivable. All of it. I am yours," it resonates not as romantic fantasy but as raw confession. Their relationship breathes with authenticity—messy, magnetic, maddening in its truth. What makes Iron Flame transcendent is how it refuses simple morality. The lines between right and wrong blur into watercolors of gray, asking us not who is good or evil, but what price we're willing to pay for what we believe. Every character stands at this precipice, making choices that ripple through the narrative like stones cast into still water. Andarna emerges as a brilliant counterpoint to the darkness, her cleverness and heart providing moments of light when the shadows threaten to consume. She isn't just Violet's dragon but a character coming into her own power, reminding us that strength wears many faces. If there's a flaw in this diamond, it's that the relentless pace occasionally steals moments that deserve more breath, more space to fully absorb their weight. Some revelations come so quickly that their emotional impact doesn't fully land before we're swept into the next storm. Yet even this feels intentional—a mirror of Violet's world, where pause means vulnerability, where reflection is a luxury rarely afforded. The book demands you keep up or be left behind, much like Basgiath itself. Iron Flame doesn't just continue a story, it elevates it. It transforms what could have been simply entertainment into something that feels necessary, vital. It leaves you hollow not from emptiness but from having been filled to breaking with something too vast to contain. 📦 What to Expect ✨ Epic Fantasy 💖 Slow Burn Romance 🔥 Grumpy/Sunshine Dynamic 🤯 Complex Politics & Power Struggles 💔 Deep Emotional Growth 🦴 Magical Beasts or Sentient Magic ⚔️ A Lead Who Fights for More Than Survival 📚 Book Tags Keywords: Dark Fantasy, Magic, Romance, Political Intrigue, Found Family, Survival, War Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Enemies to Reluctant Allies, Found Family, Mentor/Protegé, Slow Burn, Power Couple Triggers: Slavery, Violence, War Themes, Grooming (discussed), Sexual Assault (mentioned, not shown), Emotional Abuse, PTSD 🎯 Final Thoughts Some books entertain. Some books transport. Iron Flame transforms. It asks not just what you would die for, but what you would live for—broken, scarred, and still standing. This isn't just fantasy; it's poetry written in fire and blood.

I finally finished Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros, and all I can say is wow. This book took me a little longer to get through than Fourth Wing, but every page was worth it. Rebecca Yarros somehow managed to make me love these characters even more while completely destroying my emotions at the same time. Violet and Xaden continue to be my favorite characters. They are far from perfect, and that's one of the reasons I love them so much. They both make mistakes, keep secrets, and struggle with trust, but their flaws make them feel real. Watching them fight for their relationship while dealing with everything happening around them made me root for them even harder. Their chemistry is still unmatched, and every scene they shared had me completely invested. One of my favorite things about this book was how unpredictable it was. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen, Rebecca Yarros threw another twist my way. There were so many shocking moments, revelations, and betrayals that I honestly didn't see coming. The story constantly kept me on edge, and I found myself needing to know what would happen next. I also loved seeing Violet continue to grow as a character. She's strong, intelligent, and determined, but she still faces fears and doubts that make her relatable. The world-building expanded so much in this book, and learning more about the politics, dragons, and the truth behind everything made the story even more fascinating. And that ending... I was absolutely not expecting it. No amount of preparation could have prepared me for those final chapters. My heart broke, and I genuinely sat there staring at the page trying to process what I had just read. It left me emotional, shocked, and honestly crying. Rebecca Yarros really knows how to leave readers suffering while desperately waiting for the next book. Overall, Iron Flame was an emotional roller coaster filled with action, romance, heartbreak, and twists that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Even though it took me a bit longer to finish, I loved every moment of it. It made me laugh, stress, gasp, and cry, which is exactly what I want from a fantasy book. Violet and Xaden remain one of my all-time favorite book couples, and I can't wait to continue this journey with them.

Iron Flame was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. I didn't know I was anticipating it until the fall when I read Fourth Wing, but I would have picked it up immediately upon finishing Fourth Wing if it had been released. I did purchase it on the release date which is rare for me to do these days. *And I've been holding this review for about a year waiting for my "All Things Halloween" event to publish it. Violet and Xaden start off in a bit of a rough place where Fourth Wing ends and Iron Flame begins. They'd just survived the attack at Resson and Violet was dangerously injured. Xaden brings her to a safe place where he reveals that her brother, who she thought dead, is in fact, alive and he's known about that the entire time. Violet feels utterly betrayed on all sides. Her mother is a leader in a corrupt government, hiding creatures, the true enemy, from an entire society. Her brother has let her believe he's been dead for years. Xaden has kept the truth from her on so many issues that it's hard to keep count. Dain was her best friend growing up and he sent her on a mission that was near suicide, where some of her friends didn't survive. Her own bonded dragons kept information from her that influenced her thoughts, feelings, and actions. She feels alone like never before. But she doesn't stay there. She rallies. Because she has to. Evil is coming for them and they have to do what they can to prepare, to stop the slaughter of everyone they know and love. Violet and Xaden then proceed to have the same argument throughout the entirety of the book. All 884 pages seem to revolve around this argument. He wants her to ask him questions, especially the hard questions. She wants him to volunteer information that affects her without having to play games or know the right questions to ask. At times, I wanted to laugh. I've seen my parents who have been married 50 years have the same argument over and over that it's totally relatable. And yet, I wanted to bang my head against a wall. How can Xaden expect her to know which questions to ask if she doesn't? Of course, I can see his point of view that if she wants to know something about him or if she has a conflict, don't avoid it, just ask. Do the work to find out what you want to know. But sheesh this kind of got old and frustrating. I did like that Violet had a realization that the trials they're put through in the dragon rider's quadrant aren't without purpose. The teachers and leaders aren't simply cruel. And they aren't even trying to weed out the weak in the barbaric way that it appears. The purpose is to harden these warriors into steel so that they can face battle, evil really, and not flinch. Even the constant death of cadets serves a purpose. This realization was profound in a way that I don't think most readers would have been expecting--I wasn't expecting. I was also glad that Violet called Xaden on acting like Dain. I was feeling that way myself about how he was treating her, but I wasn't sure if the characters would address it or not. Xaden has also been keeping a pretty ginormous secret beyond all the others. Favorite quotes: -They seem to form a pattern, but I'm too close to see the whole of it. There's no perspective, which pretty much feels like a metaphor for my entire life right now. Perspective is so important, I've found. So many times I've found myself in a valley, but if I can remember to change my perspective, even if my circumstances do not change, the way I see them does and that can make all the difference. -"Stop bringing logic into an emotional argument." -Love doesn't even have the decency to die. It just transforms into abject misery. That's what this ache in my chest is: misery. -"We'll get back there. The anticipation is good for us." -I stumble on a rock, or my feelings, but manage to catch my balance. Physically, at least. -"You need to trust me even with secrets for this to work." -"I'll be here when you're ready because your friendship is precious to me. But please, for the sake of that friendship, don't insult me by lying." -"Trust has to go both ways to mean anything." -"You want to know something true? Something real? I love you, I'm in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I'm grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won't have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I'll meet Malek at your side. It's a ... good thing that you love me, too, because you're stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow." -"You raged today because you were angry. ... You got jealous because you were jealous. You grappled with inferiority because for some reason I can't understand, you feel inferior. And you lashed out with insecurity because I think both of us are just figuring this out as we go. Own your feelings like you did last year and be honest with me." -"How long do you think it takes for someone to fall out of love? .. A day? A month? I'm asking because I don't have any experience with it. ... I'm asking ... because I think it will take you all of a heartbeat once you know." -"My love isn't fickle. ... So you'd better live, because I'm ready to ask you all the ... questions." -I'm quickly learning it's possible to love someone and not want to be with them at the same time. -"I love you enough to bear the weight of your disappointment." Man, just re-reading my highlighted sections of Iron Flame has me reliving this rollercoaster. I felt all the feelings during this book. I felt what Violet felt: sadness, betrayal, fear, love, sacrifice, work, jealousy, inferiority, power. I felt what Xaden felt: fear, love, pressure, responsibility. Even the side characters. Sloane reeling from her brother's death. Rhi feels like Violet is shutting her out. Man, I could keep going. Everything Violet goes through in just this book is mindblowing. This review will not measure up to this book. And I took too long to sit down to review it. And that ending...Man, I do not know how we're going to move forward with that ending. I have to say that I want to read the next book because I NEED to know how things wrap up, but I'm also dreading starting the next book because I don't love it when characters I've grown to love are facing such adversity. This is the kind of cliffhanger that leaves you feeling hopeless instead of all positive and tingly for what might be to come. Sheesh, I think I've rambled all over the place trying to describe Iron Flame and how I felt about it. I can't say that I'm hopeful for where our characters left off, but this rollercoaster ride was nothing short of 4.5 Stars. It would have been 5 Stars without that ending. Sheesh. Have you read Iron Flame? What did you think? Let me know!

This second book is in this addicting fantasy series and starts with two parts and a wonderful quote in the blurb. You get sucked back into the Romantasy with Violet and Xaden as they navigate Basgiath War College as dragon riders. I appreciate the warning about the content at the beginning of the book. Violet is still mystified by the surprise in the last book. The parts back at the war college are very political but also heartbreaking as they go from lovers back to friends and from forced proximity to enforced separation. The second year for Violet is just as volatile as the first. Her relationship and experience are complicated this second year with Xaden; she is not there and still has targets on her back. The back-and-forth banter and fated relationship pull this story along as they are separated this year. Violet is much more robust, and Xaden is more truthful, but they still can't get over the secrets between them. This story does get steamy. This story's antagonist is Major Varrish, but I must discover all the whys. What is with bringing back previous characters like Violet needs one more challenge. Their missions seem to always land them on the wrong side of the school authority, but with every risk comes a great reward or a near-certain punishment. This book gets very dark toward the end. Violet is looking bleak, and I am waiting for Xaden to rescue her. Part one of this book ends with a new chapter in their lives. Part two This book is more rebellious than the last, but you still get Violet and Xaden. However, the vibes in the storyline are very different. They are still fighting for survival but in a different form. This second year has a lot more juvenile interactions, with jealousy, anger, and miscommunication in the relationship between Xaden and Violet. The first book was primarily concerned with their survival, and this book is more about all the emotions. It reads very young adults in maturity but new adults in interactions. Their interactions with the Viscount are twisted once again, putting Violet in danger. The love triangle goes back again in this story as an ongoing trope. I love Xaden Alpha's protective side and his excellent care in gentle interactions. He isn't in this story as much as it is mostly Violet. The end of this story is an epic fantasy riddled with intense action, heroic moments, and amazing powers. Omg, this book ends with one heck of a twist.

⭐️ 4.25/5 This was a strange one because the first third and the remaining two thirds almost felt like completely different books to me. The first 30–40% was honestly a snooze fest. I wasn’t invested in the school, the training, the endless enemies or most of what was happening at Basgiath. It felt like I had already seen variations of all of it before, and I was waiting for the actual story to start. And then it did. Once the plot opened up, I was genuinely invested. There was so much happening in the second half of this book, and I actually think I enjoyed those final two thirds more than I enjoyed Fourth Wing. The world became bigger, the lore more interesting, the stakes higher, and suddenly I was flying through a book I’d struggled to care about in the beginning. My biggest issue continues to be the romance, which is funny considering how beloved Xaden is as a book boyfriend. I believe Violet and Xaden love each other. That’s not the problem. Their love just feels much more declared than lived-in to me. They make enormous declarations about forever and how much they love each other, but I don’t feel like I actually get to watch them exist together. So much of their relationship is separation, solving a crisis, arguing about trust and secrets, having sex, declaring their love, and then separating again. Where are the ordinary conversations? The meals? The walks? The stupid jokes? Spending time with their friends together? Learning completely irrelevant things about each other simply because they’re in love and want to know them? Do these two even know each other’s favorite meal? I don’t need a romance to be conflict-free, and I don’t even need it to develop quickly. I just need to feel like the relationship is continuously moving. Let them be angry with each other while still spending time together. Let them learn each other while everything else is falling apart. It doesn’t have to be a forest fire from page one, but I need the logs to actually be burning. Instead, Violet and Xaden often seem to know each other extremely well in crisis while I still don’t know if they could spend a random Tuesday together. And unfortunately, I feel similarly about their sexual chemistry. Xaden is presented as this incredibly powerful, dangerous, shadow-wielding man, but none of that really translates into their sexual dynamic for me. Their scenes are explicit, but surprisingly vanilla and not particularly memorable. I want a character’s personality to follow him into the bedroom, and with Xaden I keep feeling like the man I’m told he is and the man in those scenes are two slightly different people. So no, Xaden has not joined my top-tier book boyfriend list. Sorry to the entire internet. But the fantasy plot absolutely improved for me in this book. The second two thirds were fast, packed with revelations and increasingly difficult to put down, and that ending obviously guaranteed that I will be reading Onyx Storm. Iron Flame took a very long time to convince me, but once it finally did, I had a genuinely great time. Now please let Violet and Xaden spend one normal Tuesday together.

Muy bien

It came with 1 scratch. However for the price I can’t complain. The dragons on the edge are how I expected them to be and it’s really nice shaped.

Todo perfecto!

حلو و نفس الصوره

Second book in the series. A thicker novel than the first, but just as delicious! It won't disappoint :D